Walter Harrison Cady was an American illustrator and author, best known for his comic strip which he wrote and drew for 28 years.
Background
Cady was born in Gardner, Massachusetts, to a town selectman, Edwin Cady, who ran a local general store. His father fostered a love of nature and encouraged his art skills. Harrison was 18 when his father was killed in Boston.
His salary of $10 a week made it possible for him to support his mother.
The two lived in a Greenwich Village cold water flat.
Career
Cady entered an apprenticeship with a local painter, Parker Perkins. His first publication came as early as 1894: an illustration in a supplement to Harper"s Young People (signed Walter H Cady). He moved to New York City and within a year found work as an illustrator with the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper.
He stayed at the Brooklyn Eagle for four years, while also freelancing to other publications.
His income increased considerably after Life editor John Ames Mitchell signed Cady as staff artist and cartoonist. This led to a long career as a newspaper and magazine illustrator, as well as numerous children"s books, featuring both fantastic and realistic animal illustrations.
Touring Europe for two months in 1931, they visited London, Paris, Avignon, Brussels, Arles, Amsterdam, Rome and Venice. In a letter to Harrison"s mother, Melinna detailed their adventures:
So far I like Paris as a place to live better than any other city.. the shops, the museums with the great works of art
The Follies!!! and on and on.
Venice is filled with charm & great beauty & romance yet back of it all, I could imagine in time one might feel the past tragedy of the place. Every afternoon at 4, Harrison & I started in a gondola and just wandered in & out & around until 8 o"clock. lieutenant, no doubt, sounds utterly foolish at my age to be so enthusiastic about everything, but, my dear, I am living in a state of thrills."
He had a long association with Thornton Burgess, illustrating the writer"s books, including Happy Jack, and his daily newspaper column, "Bedtime Stories".
Cady was very prolific, illustrating over 70 years for such publications as Saint Nicholas Magazine, Boys" Life, The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies" Home Journal, Good Housekeeping and Country Gentleman.
He illustrated the Queen Silver-Bell series by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In addition to his extensive illustrating of others" books, Cady also authored several books with his own illustrations, including his Butternut Hill series (1929), Johnny Funny-Bunny"s Picnic Party (1928) and Spring Moving Day (1928).
Cady"s comic strip was launched by the New York Herald Tribune Syndicate on August 15, 1920. He continued to write and draw the strip for almost three decades.
When he retired in 1948, Vince Fago drew the strip.
Avon published Cady"s Comics in 1947. His work is on display at the Thornton Burgess in Sandwich, Massachusetts.